Tire-inflating apparatus.



'Gf F. STEEDMAN. TIRE INFLATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION HLED JAN. 29. |916.

'mmm i Patentedept. 11, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l imma G. F. STEEDIVIAN. TIRE INFLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN Patented Sept. 11, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

in I III I /M /m w. m, m

a citizen of the United St. Louis, Missouri, l 4 y new and useful Im rovement in Tire-In- GJEORGI'E F. STEEDMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO CURTIS & CO.

. 0F WELLSTON, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

nre. co.,

e TIRE-INFLATING Arr Application filed January 29, 1916. Serial No. 75,068.

To all whom t may concern.' l

'Be it known that I, GEORGE F, STEEDMAN,

States, residing at have invented a certain flating Apparatus, o which th'e following is va full, clear, and exact description, 'such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to makeand use the same.

This invention relates to an apparatus for inilating pneumatic tires.

One object of my invention is to provideI an apparatus which tends to reduce an automobilists tire troubles by insuring inflation to proper pressure of the pneumatic tires onvhis machine.

Another object is to provide a tire-inflating apparatus which'is so constructed that a pneumatic tire canfbefinflated toacertain' predetermined pressure without repeatedly removing the air supply hose or filling hose from the valve stem of thetire and testing the air pressure of the tire with av gage, as'

is now the general practice in inflating pneumatic tires. I Another object is to provide` a tire-inflating lapparatus that comprises a visual indil cator or dial which is adapted to be arranged Y in dilerent positions, according to the size of the tire being inflated, and an automatically-operating means that prevents the-'tire A:from being inflated to a pressure greater than the pressure which is correct for a tire of the size at which the indicator is set.

Another object is to provide a tire-inflating apparatus that is equipped with gages for indicating the pressure in the supply tank and in the hose leading to the tire ing iniated, an adjustable reducing valve that automatically governs the supply of air tothe tire, and a visual indicator'to guide the user in setting the reducing valve properly, said indicator being combined with said reducing valve in sucli a manner that the `act of changing the position of the indicator automatically changes the adjustment or condition of said reducing valve.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the character justreferred to, in which the gages,the reducing. valve and the-indicator are arranged inside of a casing that is adapted to be mounted on a postorcon- '.nected to a supporting structure, thus producing. a tire-inlating apparatus that can be' installed easily; which presents a neat -gages an -for'preventing them from .being stolen or 110 "too high'pressure, or of damaging tires, due

to filling to too low pressure, and at the same time permit of the storage of compressed air at high pressure, such storage enabling a small air compressor to store up air in an eiiicient manner. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out. v

Figure ll of the drawings is a front elevational view of a tire-inflating apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention." i

Fig. 2 is a vertlcal sectional v1ew of said apparatus, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

F1g.-3 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 4&4 of Fig. 2.

Brieflyl described, my invention consists of a pneumatic tire-inflating apparatus provided with an adjustable reducing valve that automatically governs the supply of air to m the tire being inflated. Said reducing valve is adapted to be set or adjusted in diilerent positions by the person using the apparatus,

according to the pressure desired in the particular size of tire being inflated, and in order to guide the user in setting the reducing valve properly, I have provided the apparatus with a visualV indicator or dial which' shows the nominal cross-sectional sizes of standard pneumatic tires, said indicator being .combined vwith the reducing valve in such a manner that the adjustment of the valve will be changed automatically whenever, the position Vof the indicator is changed.- Separate and distinct pressurev l gages are preferably employed for indicatling the pressure of the supply tank and the y i pressure in the hose leading tothe tire, and a housin is employed Vfor protecting said indicatorfrom the weather and from being tampered with. I prefer to mark the dial with indicia showing the nominal tire sizes, but it is obvious that the dial might be marked with pressure readings, or a combination of bothY Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates a compressed air supply pipe that leads from a storage tank (not shown) to an adjustable pressure-reduclng valve B, of any suitable type, that automatically governs the flow of air to a tire-lling hose C equipped with a tire chuck (not shown) that is adapted to be placed over the valve stem of a pneumatic tire. Two pressure gages D and E are combined with the pressure-reducing valve B for indicating the pressure of the supply tank and the pressure in the hose leading to the tire being filled, and va manually-operable device F is employed for controlling the pressure-reducing valve B. In the embodiment of my invention hereinillustrated the pressure-reducing valve B comprises a casing 1 provided with an inlet orifice 2 that is controlled by a valve 3, as shown in Fig. 4, said inlet oriice being arranged at the end of an air supply duct 4 that is connected by means of a conduit 5 with the air supply pipe A that leads from the storage tank. The tire hose C is connected by means of a conduit 6 with the interior of the casing 1 of the valve B, as shown in Fig. 3, and an adjustable means is provided vfor controlling the automatic openingand closing of the valve 3. Said means preferably consists of a diaphragm G arranged in the valve casing 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, a spring 7 that resists movement of the diaphragm G in one direction, a manually-operable device F previously mentioned for varying the tension of the spring 7 and an actuating device H for the valve 3 combined withv the diaphragm G in such a manner that it will permit said valve 3 to seat when the diaphragm Gr fleXe's in one direction, and thereafter cause said valve 3 to open when said diaphragm yiexes to the opposite direction. The peripheral edge portion of the diaphragm Gis clamped tightly between the end of the valve casing 1 and the head piece la of said casing, and said head piece is provided with a vlaterally-projecting cylindrical portion 8, as shown in Fig.` 2, that forms a housing for the spring 7 and for a plunger 9 that is interposed. between the spring 7 and one side of the diaphragm G. The valve-actuating device H is arranged on the other side of the diaphragm Gr, and said device H is provided with a center -bore that is slotted so as t0 receive the portion in which the air inlet port 2 is formed, -as

shown in Fig. 4. When the lvalvev3 is unseated or Ain its openl position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4,- it bears against the end wall of the internal slot .;in the valve-actuating device H, said Valvev being provided with a stem 3El that fits loosely in the air inlet port 2. A coiled compression spring 10 is arranged between the outer end of the valveactuating device H and a removable cap 1l on the valve casing 1, so as to exert pressure portion 11, shown in Fig. 2, that acts as a guidefor the outer end portion'of the valveactuating device H, the inner end being t- 'ted in a piece 100 and so guided. When the linternal pressure in the valve casing 1 is suficient to overcome the spring 7 the diaphragm G fleXes ,to the left," looking at Fig. 2, thuspermitting the device H to move to the left, under the influence of the spring 10, and consequently, causing the valve 3 to be pressed tightly against its seat around the air inlet orifice 2. As soon as the valve 3 seats, the supply of lair to the'valve casing 1 is cut olf and said valve 3 remains seated until the internal pressure in the valve casingl drops suiliciently to permit the spring l 7 to move the diaphragm G inthe .opposite direction, namely, to the right, looking at Fig. 2. The movement' of the diaphragm G to the right carries the valve-actuating device H away from the valve 3, and immediately thereafter the valve 3 unseats andl establishes communicationbetween the `air inlet duct 4 and the interior of the valve "casing 1, the compressedair continuing to flow through the air inlet orifice 2 4until the pressure is sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 7. It will thus be seen that the valve 3 opens and closes automatically as the pressure in the valve casing 1 rises and falls, the pressure in the valve casing 1 being controlled directly by the spring 7. One convenient way v'of constructing the manually-operable device F that .governs the tension of the `spring' 7 is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein it will be seen that the device F is provided with an internally screwthreaded sleeve 12 that surrounds the tubular-extension 9 on the valve casing, which tubular extensin-is provided with external screw threads. 'The outer end of thespring 7 coperates with a spring seat 7a that bears against an adjustable abutment 13 on the device F, as shown in Fig. 2, andconsequently when said'device F is turned in vone direcessential to provide the device F with an adjustable abutment 13, I prefer to construct said device in this manner, so as to enable the initial tension of the spring 7 to be varied for the purpose hereinafter described.

In order to eliminate the possibility of the valve 3 being rendered inoperative by particles of dirt in the air that is supplied to the reducing valve, I have arranged a screen or strainer I between the'valve 3 and the air supply pipe A fromthe storage tank, the strainer I being preferably mounted in a cylindrical-shaped portion 4b formed integral with the laterally-projecting portion on the valve casing 1 in which the air duct 4 is formed. The conduit 5 that forms a continuation of the air supply pipe A is connected to the portion 4b that incases the strainer I, and said'portion 4b is provided at one end with a removable cap 4, so as to en- -able the strainer I to be removed for cleaning.' The gages D and E are arranged on opposite sides of the valve 3, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the gage D will indicate the pressure in the storage tank and the gage E will indicate the pressure in the casing 1 o'f theI reducing valve, said gages being .preferably mounted on' short nipples thatI are `screwed into the valve casing 1 at the upper -Side of same. Any suitable type of indicator or`dial may be used in conjunction with the reducing valve to guide the operator in properly setting said valve, but I prefer to use an indicator composed of a stationary member 14 and a coperating rotatable member 15 that is combinedwith the manually-operable device F that governs the tension of the spring 7, so as to cause the member 15 of the indicator to move with relation to the stationary member 14, whenever the device F is actuated to change the adjustment of the reducing valve. Said members 14 and -15 may be provided with any .suitable indicia that -willindicate the internal `pressure in the valve casing 1, but I prefer to provide the member 15 with numerals that correspond to the cross-sectional sizes of standard pneumatic tires and provide the member 14 with anA arrow lor pointer that is adapted to coperate with the numbers on the member 15, the reducing valve being calibrated iii such a manner that when one of the numbers on the member A15 Ais brought into valinement with said pointer, the `internal pressure in the valve casingv l-will correspond to the pressure that pneumatic tire manufacturers have adopted.

as a-proper standard for'tires of the nominal size indicated by said number. In other words, the member 15 is provided with the numbers 1%, 2, 2%, 3, 34,4, 4, 5, 515 and 6, as shown in broken` lines in Fig. 1, and the member 14 is provided fat its center with an larrow or pointer 14a. When the device F `is rotated in one direction far enoughto bring the numeral 4on the ,member- 15 opreducing valve are preferably arranged inhollow post 18 that forms ayhousing for the posite the arrow or pointer 14a on the member 14, the tension of the spring 7 'will be Such that the valve 3 will close automati- Y cally when the internal pressure in the valve casing l of the reducing valve reaches eighty pounds, as it is generally recognized that eighty pounds is the proper inliation for a four inch pneumatic tire. If the numerall 4% on the member 15 is broughtv opposite the arrow 14, .the tension of the spring 7 will be such that the valve 3 will close when the internal pressure inthe valve casing 1 reaches ninety pounds, and if the numeral 31),; is brought opposite the arrow, the valve 3 will seat automatically whennthe internal pressure in the valve casing 1 reaches seventy pounds. The portion of the member 15 on which the numerals previously referred to are formed preferably consists of an annular-shaped plate that is connected to a disk 16 near the inner end of the v sleeve 12 of the manually-operable device F,

and the4 member 14 preferably consists of a plate arranged above the member 15 in vertical alinement with same. The disk 16 is provided with a stop 16a that strikes against the bracket 17 when the numeral O on the member 15 is opposite .the arrow on the member 14a and said member 14 is provided with suitable wordsl and arrows that indicate just how the device F shouldbe manipulated so as to obtain'the proper iniiation of the tire. 4 The reducing valve B, the gages D and E and -the indicator that coperates with the side of a housing or casing J that can either -be connected to a wall or other supporting structure or mounted on a hose locker, as indicated in broken lines in' Fig. 1, or on a 4 MD5 air supply pipe A and for a conduit 19 that incases electric wires 20 that supply curi rentl to an electric lamp bulb 21 which is arranged inside 'of the casing J, so as to illuminate the' Agages and indicator. I f de- 110 sired, an electrically-operated heating element 22 consisting of an electric lamp bulb lor other suitable device may bel arrangedinside of the casing J in proximityl to the reducing valve B, so as to prevent the moistre in the air in the reducing valve from freezing in cold weather. At the upper end of the casing J is an upright or support 23 that may be used for carrying a sign or electric illuminating device 23a. The electric 120 circuit that energizes the lamp 21, .and the sign or lighting unit on the uprightf23I is governed by a switch 24 that is arranged inside ofthe casing J, as shown in Fig. 3. The casing J is provided withfa sight opening that is covered by a piece of glass or other suitable transparent vmaterial 25, ,as shown in Fig. 1, and said casing is also provided with a key-controlled door or removable section, so as to.prevent unauthorized persons 13@ engagement with the fianges 29 on the sidelfrom removing the instruments inside of the casing or from tampering ywith same. In the form of my invention herein illustrated the front wall of the casing J is composed of a removable bottom section 26 provided adjacent its lower edge with inwardly-projecting arms 27, as shown in Fig. 2, that engage lugs on a stationary portion of the casing and provided adjacent its upper edge with buttons or latches 28 that can be moved into engagement with flanges 29 on the side walls of the casing J, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. The upper portion 26"L of the front wall is provided with ears 30 that lap over a stationary portion of the casing, and adjacent the .lower edge of said upper section 26a are two key-controlled latches or bolts 31 that are adapted to be moved laterally'into walls of the casing. The meeting edges of the removable sections 26 and 26EL of the 1 front wallv are beveled in such a manner that the bottom section 26 cannot be removed when the upper section is in place, and the other edges of said sections 26 and 26 that bear upon the stationary portionsof the casing are so beveled that it will be impossible for water to leak through same into the interior of the casing J. I do not limit myself to these details of construction; and any other details ofconstruction that accomplish the desired results may be employed.-

The switch 24 in the interior of the casing J y is provided with a portion 24 that is adapted to recelve a removable key, so as tb enable theA circuit in which the switch is arranged to be openedand closed, only 'by an authorized person, one wall of the casing J being provided with an opening 32, shown in Fig. 1, through which the key can beinserted, so

as to turn the switch onor oli;

From the foregoing it willbe seen that l have produced a. tire-iniating apparatus which tends to reduce an automobilists tire troubles, by insuring proper inflation of the tires on his machine, for if the person using the apparatus sets the indicator to correspond with the size of the tires on his machine, the tires .will be inflated to the pressure which is generally recognized as being proper for `a tire of that particular the valve stem ofthe tire. While'the gages' size. When using the apparatus to inflate a tire it is not necessary to repeatedly test `the pressure of the tire with a tire gage, as 1s now the general practice, owing to the fact that the apparatus is so constructed that the pressure in the tire will not be more norless than the pressure which is correct for a tire of the size shown` on the indicatorit being understood Ithat the user sets the -indicator correctly before applying the filling hose to D and E a`r e not absolutely essential, they are desirable, in that they enablethe user to see whatthe pressure of the supply tank is and also the pressure in the hose leading to the tire. The purpose of providing the manually-operable device F with the-- adjustable abutment 13, previously referred to, is to enable the initial tension of the spring 7 to be so set that the indicating -marks on the dial will properly correspond with the.

facturers as to the proper pressure to be carried in the various nominal sizes of tires, for instance, the publishedpressures recommended by. various makers of tires for a fourinch nominal size of tire varies from about seventy to eighty pounds, averaging about seventy-five pounds, this adjustment permits of so changing the tension of the J spring 7 that if the indicator of my device is set at four-inch size, a pressure anywhere --from seventy to eighty pounds may be obtained, according to the adjustment of the device 13. I-prefer to calibrate my dial to the average pressures recommended by well known makers of tires, and the adjustment 13 permits of commercial variations from this average without recalibrating 'of the dial marking. t -Having thus described my 'inventlonwhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f

1. A tire-iniiating apparatus, comprising a tire lling pipe or hose, a conduit that communicates with a supply of airunder-v relatively high pressure, an airchamberto which said hose and conduit lead, a valve arranged so that it will be unseated by'alr that is admitted to said chamber, a controlling member for said valve arranged so that the pressure in said chamber will move' it in one direction and thus permlt the valve to seat, a variable actuating device for said controlling member that constantly exerts pressure `on same in a directiontendingto permit the valve- 'to open, an adjustable 1`ndicating means provided with lndlcia that represents-standard tire sizes or pressures, said means being adapted to be set bythe user according to the size of the tireto be4 inflated, and means4 whereby the act of setting said indicating means causes the con-.

dition of said variable actuating device to be changed so that the valve will close when the pressure in said chamber reaches the degree 'that is proper for a t1re of the s1ze being inated. y A

Hating apparatus, com rlsmg 2. `A tire-in I a chamber. provided with an air lnlett rough which air under` relatively hlgh pressure 1s supplied to said' chamber, avtirelling. pipe or hose through which air isl discharged lill' from said chamber, a valve forsaid lair inlet arranged so" that it Awill beunseated automatically by air that is admitted to saidy lthe tension of the diaphragm spring, `and a visual indicating means that shows the user the position in which said adjusting device should be set in order to obtain the proper pressure in the tire-lling hose.

` 3.` A tire-inating apparatus provided with a pressure-reducing valve that automatically regulates the pressure of the supply of air to the tire being iniiated, a springi controlled device that governs said valve,

an indicator that is adapted to be set in different positions, means combined with said valve-governing device and indicator for autoni'atically changing the tension of?` the spring of said valve-governing device when the position of said indicator is changed,

fia'

and an independent means that governs the initial adjustment of the valve.

4. A tire-fllling apparatus provided with a pressure-reducing valve that automatically governs the pressure of the supply ci air tothe tire being iniated, a spring-pressed diaphragm that controls the seatingof said valve, a manually-operable device for chan ing the adjustment of the spring of said diaphragm, and an indicating means consisting of a movable member and a cop-A erating stationary member, one of said menibers being provided with numerals that correspond to standard tire sizes or pressures and the movable member being combined with the manually-operable device in such a manner that its position will be changed when the adjustment of the diaphragm spring is changed.

5. A tire-intlating apparatus provided with a pressure-reducing valve for governing the pressure of the supply of air to the tire being inflated, said valve comprising a casing having a portion on the inside of same in which an inlet duct is formed, a valve that governs the supply of air to the interior of said casing, a reciprocating actuating device for seating said valve guided by the portion on the interior of the casing in which said inlet duct is formed, and a spring-pressed diaphragm. for. goveriiing said valve-actuating device. j

6. A tire-inflating apparatusk provided with a pressure-reducing valve for governing the pressure of the supply of air to the tire'being inflated, said valve comprising a casing, a valve that overns the supply of air to the interior oig said casing, a reciprocating actuating device for seatingy said valve, a spring-pressed diaphragm for moving said valve-actuating device in one direction, a tubular projection on the casing of the valve, a plunger arranged inside of said projection between the diaphragm and the spring that moves said diaphragm, and an adjustable device mounted on the tubular.

projection on the valve casing for varying the tension of said spring. l

7. A tire-inflating apparatus provided with a pressure-reducing valve that automatically governs the pressure of the supply of air to the tire being inflated, said valve comprising a casing, a valve for controlling communication between the interior of said casing and a supply ofair under pressure, a diaphragm for governing the operation of said valve and arranged in such a manner that `it will be flexed in one direction by the internal pressure in said casing, an eX- tension on-said valve casing, a spring a rranged in said extension at one side of said diaphragm, a manually-operable device screw-threaded onto said extension for varying the tension of said spring, and an indicator provided with markings in terms of nominal tire sizes and composed of two coperating elements, one of which is moved by said manually-operable device.

` 8. A pneumatic tire-imitating apparatus, comprising a source of air pressure, a tireilling hose, an adjustable pressure-reducing valve arranged between said hose and source Ioi? air pressure, a device for adjusting said reducing valve, an indicating means operated by the adjusting device .for enabling the operator to set the adjusting device to secure the proper pressure of air to iniiate the particular size of tire being inflated, and a second adjusting device to alter the relation of the indicia on the indicating means and the air pressure corresponding to the indicia.

In testimony whereof I vhereunto ax my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 24th day of January, 1916.

GEURGE F. STEEDMAN.

Witnesses:

L. S. Bucxms, J. F. D. HOWELL. 

